Okay I didn't expect such an assault. I left because I won! How's your front squat?I'll break that damn 100kg bench any week now. So stuffs getting damn real sooooon.

I'll give the same excuses as the dudes before me. I now own a business and am still at school, working on my thesis. Also on weekends I'm working on night shifts at a night club etc. Anyhow, I just haven't visited here too often, but I'm not gone. I'll be lurking around tho.

I doubt I could front squat 90k these days. Seriously. Probably could only bench 100 for a triple at best (single more likely). It'll come back fast though.

Front squatting is going to be done third in the workout so probably won't be putting up impressive numbers on it anytime soon. Might add a lower body strength day in the future but no plans to as yet. One thing at a time. Gotta get my sexy body back before I worry about actually doing anything with it! You know me, all form - no function.

Well, since the old crowd is here updating, I'll report in. I've haven't been checking in too much, because we no longer have unlimited internet. Our station network got so bad, and the satellite system so out-of-date that it was going to cost about US$50K to replace each, and no one here was prepared to pay like that, even divided 15 or so ways. Meanwhile, the cellular services had gotten 3G into our area, and that is faster than the old network had become. For the average users on the station, they would spend less than what used to be their share of the VSAT and network costs to use the amount of bandwidth that they had been using, so it was a no-brainer. Sadly, for the few of us who were the heaviest internet users, our cost for the cellular data service would be more, if we were to keep using like we used to.

I'm still lifting. I'm distance-training with Jason Nunn, who used to be active here. I met him last Spring in Indianapolis. I was able to train in his gym for 4 great sessions, and then he has been programming and advising me via email since then. He didn't like the relatively heavy, low-volume approach I'd been using (probably a big contributor to all the aches and pains I'd been having), so he has me on a fairly light, higher-volume routine. He has me doing a lot of mobility work, then a "big lift" alternating with a complimentary lighter lift, than a triple set of accessory work done 5x10. He's gotten me to do a bunch of lifts that I have long known I should be doing, but I didn't do out of laziness, enui, contrariness or ignorance. I do 4 workouts alternating upper and lower emphasis. Big lifts are bench, front squat, chins, deadlift variations (RDLs or rack pulls). I haven't deadlifted from the floor since before I started working with Jason, but I hope to again. This years birthday (61) was the first time in several years that I haven't set a PR in something. But that's OK. I'd rather have some likelihood of still lifting at 71, than to try to impress myself with numbers.

Jason's place was really great. He occupies the corner of one of those indoor soccer arenas, so he gets the space real cheap. He trains small groups of 3 to 5 clients. They go out on the parking lot for stuff like prowlers, and into the soccer arena (when there aren't any games) for sprints, etc. He's well-equipped, but everything has the feeling of rough and tumble, not fancy. It looks a lot like he got his equipment used from lots of different sources, which is what he did. He's got some great, hard-working clients a few of whom I met. The place has a real up-beat, positive atmosphere, as you'd expect with Jason. His wife works part time (she's also got an academic background in strength and conditioning) and they have one employed trainer. It was a great experience to get to be there, even for just 4 sessions. He does his strongman training (both his own workouts and he coaches some other strongman competitors), in a barn somewhere at a different location.

Jason will be competing in the amateur strongman competition at the Arnold this weekend. I don't know if it will be on some obscure cable channel, but there should be some updates on line.

Sorry to ramble on for so long. Nice to seen most of the crowd together again.

_________________Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

that's quite interesting that he's got you doing more rep work. I watched an interview with Frank Zane a while back and he was saying he has all his older clients working in 12+ reps to keep things easier on their joints. It stuck out to me at the time because I'd often seen it recommended to keep older trainees doing more strength style work (which always seemed dumb to me - Frank Zane and I are obviously two peas in a pod).

I'm still around. I always tend to be busy with various things. Always a lot going on. I've been playing Diablo 3 again as the expansion is coming out soon. As far as lifting I've just been maintaining what I have lately.

I'm still around. I always tend to be busy with various things. Always a lot going on. I've been playing Diablo 3 again as the expansion is coming out soon. As far as lifting I've just been maintaining what I have lately.

Good to see you back. Always fun to see familiar names in here. I miss the activity of days past.

yeah it's always been the case that the forum goes through busy spells and quieter spells.

I think as well because we are such a general forum, more and more we'll probably lose folk to forums more focussed. Like crossfitters would go to a crossfit forum, bodybuilders to BB.com and such like.

still, I like it here and I'm happy with the core of good posters we've got

Each year since 2008, I've assessed at the end, "Am I closer to being the person I want to be" ? Each year it's been yes, but 2013 was marginal. Where I slacked on Lifting and Diet, I picked up on Baby Making Effort and Going to Dentist. You know, my criteria is a bit scatterd, heh.

2014 Category Summary is going as suchSpiritual: Improving. Diet: horribleFinances: Pretty good. Lots of spending on house at this time. Updating kit chen. I think we have been pretty smart about maintenance and spreading the costs of upgrades over time. I have my eye on using this one as a rental down the road - maybe 7-10 years from now. Lifting: None. Out garage is full of crap because we are paying for Home Improvement and they are taking awhile. See "Job" - for poor excuse of stress replacing positive behaviorsJob: I went from not managing (pseudo manager of one guy with 2 yrs experience) to now managing 3 guys with a total of 3 yr experience. I am having to force myself to not work lots of overtime and go home knowing the work will always be there. Trying to keep it from stressing me out is a trial. Career: Distinguished from "Job" to note that my progress towards ASA is spotty at best. I was told being a manager would be contingent on this. Thus on one hand, I'm quite proud to have been given that responsibility anyway. I don't want to brag - as it's really not - but if I could care 1/3 as much about getting credentialed as I do about producing in the short term, I could be on easy street by now.

I'm itching to bring balance back in to combat the stress. I have years of empirical data to tell me that stewing over problems does not alleviate them.

Baby Making Effort: We are going to a specialist. For now, we are trying to have our own. We will consider adoption eventually if it comes to that.

Very glad to hear from you my friend. Although I'm disappointed you've allowed your exercise regime to lose momentum, making children is probably quite a lot more fun (and good exercise too if you're doing it properly).

Get that diet sorted, and be happy.

And don't be a stranger! I'd hate to have to wait until next year for another update.

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